International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous communities worldwide are increasingly turning to technology to protect their lands. In Peru’s Northeastern Amazon, indigenous communities significantly ⁣⁣ reduced deforestation by using satellite-based forest monitoring technologies , decreasing deforestation by 52% in the first year and 21% in the second. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ In Indonesia, Aru Indigenous Peoples and Forest Watch Indonesia are collaborating to monitor and halt illegal logging using satellite data and the Forest Watcher app . ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ In Suriname, the Saamaka are using satellite data to monitor deforestation and protect their rights. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ With evidence from tools like G lobal Forests Goals and Targets , indigenous and local communities can take legal action and raise awareness about their ⁣struggles. ⁣⁣⁣ Read the Insight ! ⁣

Each year, on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we honour the approximately 476 million Indigenous voices across the globe and reaffirm our commitment to protecting their rights, traditions and ways of life in an ever-evolving world. Today, Indigenous Peoples worldwide are using artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to map territories, document languages, monitor the effects of climate disruption and create new forms of cultural expression. Artificial intelligence holds the potential to enhance the transmission of ancestral knowledge. Yet, without safeguards in place to ensure its ethical and inclusive development, it risks causing digital exclusion, reinforcing harmful biases and distorting Indigenous languages. That is why this year’s celebration is being held under the theme of “Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures” – focusing on both the promises and perils of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, while high...

Indigenous Peoples are guardians of ancient knowledge, defenders of cultural heritage, stewards of biodiversity, and essential to our shared future. Amid the rise of new technologies, Artificial Intelligence can help preserve endangered languages and oral histories, map ancestral lands, and amplify Indigenous wisdom to fight climate change. But without the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples, these same technologies risk perpetuating old patterns of exclusion, misrepresenting cultures, and violating fundamental rights. We must ensure AI is developed and governed in ways that are inclusive, ethical, and just. On the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples , let’s build a future where technology preserves Indigenous knowledge and culture, and protects rights and advances dignity – for today and generations to come.  United Nations Secretary-General.

When the glacier disappears, a new epoch will begin.”This prophecy, passed down by the Quechua people of the Peruvian Andes, is no longer a distant warning, it is becoming a lived reality. Across high mountain regions, from Bolivia to Bhutan, the disappearance of glaciers is not only an environmental crisis but a cultural and spiritual rupture. For many Indigenous communities, these icy peaks are living deities, guardians of balance, and sources of ancestral knowledge. In Nepal, rituals must now adapt to the melting summits. In Bolivia, entire ways of life are dissolving alongside the snow. And in China, even scientists are banned from stepping onto sacred glaciers, seen as vital to the survival of the communities below. This #IndigenousPeoplesDay , discover how climate change is transforming traditions and what the world can learn from Indigenous wisdom that sees land, spirit, and culture as inseparable. Read the full story in The UNESCO Courier: "Traditions shaken by global war...

 Theme: Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures Today, we join the global celebration of the unique contributions and traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples, who have safeguarded the world’s biodiversity for millennia. Their knowledge and cultures, rooted in deep cultural and spiritual connections with land, waters, and territories, have sustained ecosystems and communities alike. They are key to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This year’s theme of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples invites us to reflect on how technology can support traditional knowledge systems. Artificial Intelligence is transforming how knowledge is generated and applied. For Indigenous Peoples, this brings both challenges and opportunities. Inadequate applications of AI can undermine the principles that safeguard traditional knowledge, including consent, control, and data sovereignty. But appropriate safeguards can ensure ...

Indigenous knowledge refers to the diverse and numerous forms of understandings, skills, and philosophies developed by local communities with long histories and experiences of interaction with their natural surroundings. Research has shown that respect for indigenous knowledge, cultures and traditional practices significantly contributes to sustainable and equitable development and proper management of the environment. Recognizing the immense value of Indigenous knowledge for the protection of our ocean, the Ocean Decade aims to enhance the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems within ocean science s, and promotes the co-design of ocean science with Indigenous peoples across the world .

UNESCO brought together two of Africa’s remaining hunter-gatherer communities to test the CyberTracker application, which combines Indigenous knowledge with digital technology. Indigenous languages, cultures and knowledge are celebrated globally on 9 August, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. ‘We have a connection with the Hadzabe community because they are hunter-gatherers just like us.’ In May 2025, ǀUi David, a tracker from the Juǀ’hoansi San community in Namibia, took part in a unique exchange organized by UNESCO’s Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems Programme (LINKS). Together with members of Tanzania’s Hadzabe community, he participated in training on CyberTracker , an icon-based application that allows users to record animal tracks, signs, and ecological data, blending Indigenous knowledge with digital technology. Tracking the old way with new tools The Juǀ’hoansi San and Hadzabe communities share a deep bond. Both have developed extensive knowledge of...

AI systems often exclude or misrepresent Indigenous Peoples, reflecting colonial biases. Yet, when developed, implemented and governed ethically, AI can support language revitalization and cultural preservation . The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Art. 13 & 31 affirm Indigenous Peoples’ right to transmit and control their cultural knowledge. No use of Indigenous data or heritage should happen without Free, Prior and Informed Consent. This and more will be discussed during the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2025 event on August 8th.

9 August marks Indigenous Peoples Day, we recognize the strength, knowledge, and cultural richness of Indigenous communities around the world and their ongoing fight for recognition, rights, and respect. Indigenous Peoples are vital to building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world. Explore UN publications that amplify Indigenous perspectives and support global efforts to protect their rights. Available on  UNiLibrary

On #IndigenousPeoplesDay , we honour the stories that are passed down through taste, memory and tradition. From sacred rituals to everyday meals, food holds centuries of Indigenous knowledge. It tells us how to live with the land, respect the seasons, and care for community. Through UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, these practices are protected and celebrated, for what they teach us about identity, resilience, and respect for nature. Swipe through to discover Indigenous foodways inscribed from across the world!

  Indigenous Peoples —476 million across 90 countries—make up just 6% of the world’s population but speak most of its 7,000 languages and embody 5,000 unique cultures. We’re at a critical point to champion their voices. Guardians of distinct ways of life, they’ve battled for recognition of their identities, lands, and rights—often against a tide of historic violations. Their resilience is our gain, if we act. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world at an unprecedented pace. For Indigenous Peoples, this technology can bring both significant challenges and promising opportunities. AI systems often reflect biases embedded in the data they are trained on—data that frequently excludes or misrepresents Indigenous Peoples’ voices and knowledge. Without safeguards put in place, AI can reinforce harmful biases, exclusion, and lead to further appropriation of Indigenous Peoples' culture and knowledge without their consent. Indigenous Peoples also continue to face barriers to accessing new technologies, as recognized through the World Summit of the Information Society process, especially in rural areas, widening digital divides. Yet, AI also holds potential opportunities for Indigenous Peoples. When developed inclusively and ethically, AI can support language revitalization and enhance cultural preservation . For example, AI-driven tools can help document endangered Indigenous langua...

 The Virtual commemoration  International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2025 entitled “ Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures ”  will take place on August 8th from 9:00 - 10:30 AM EST/New York The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is celebrated globally on 9 August. It marks the date of the inaugural session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982.1 To commemorate the International Day, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is organizing a virtual commemoration on Friday 8 August 2025 on the theme: Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures. The virtual commemoration will take place online. It will include an opening segment and statement from the Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. A moderated panel with invited speakers will consider and discuss how Indigenous Peoples rights can be ensured in the age of AI , and debate on the associated challenges and o...

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world at an unprecedented pace, transforming ways of life, work, interactions, and creating breakthroughs across education, healthcare and agriculture. While it offers great potential, it also brings significant risks . This holds especially true for Indigenous Peoples. United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/78/265 from 2024 emphasized that human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected and promoted throughout the life cycle of artificial intelligence systems . Respecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights is essential to realizing the positive potential of AI and avoiding perpetuating harm . Without safeguards, the potential of AI is unlikely to be distributed equitably and may instead contribute to widening digital divides.  Left unchecked, AI risks perpetuating colonial legacies.

  Indigenous Peoples’ rights , including the rights to self-determination, lands, territories, and resources, language s, as well as the right to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) , are well-established in international law . AI development, implementation and governance intersects directly with this. Upholding these rights in the AI context is essential to ensure that AI does not reproduce historical patterns of exclusion, marginalization, and appropriation. Indigenous Peoples have long advocated for data sovereignty – the right to own, control and govern their own data . In this regard, FPIC is fundamental to ensure that Indigenous Peoples have a say in how their data is used and shared, including through A I. This must be ensured by companies and developers that use Indigenous Peoples’ data, knowledge, or cultural heritage in AI systems. Decisions on the development and use of AI are currently led by powerful governments and major tech companies such as Microsoft, Google...

  AI technologies are built and trained on vast amounts of online data. When Indigenous Peoples’languages, knowledge, and cultural materials are included in such datasets without transparency and their FPIC, it risks perpetuating patterns of exploitation and appropriation that Indigenous Peoples long have resisted. The data that AI models are trained on also frequently excludes or misrepresents Indigenous Peoples, their knowledge and voices. AI algorithms also tend to be biased by the worldviewof the developers . Such AI models are thus likely to reflect and may even exacerbate existing inequities. For example, with increasing use of biometric and facial recognition technologies, this can contribute to further misidentification and profiling of Indigenous Peoples. Moreover, AI systems depend on immense computational infrastructure with data centers that require significant amounts of electricity for their operations, water for cooling, raw materials for manufacturing electronics. T...

  Despite significant challenges and risks, AI also holds notable opportunities through Indigenous leadership and innovations . Across the world, Indigenous Peoples have already started exploring the use of AI, in ways that are in line with their priorities, cultures and ways of life. AI can be an important tool for intergenerational knowledge sharing and empowerment of Indigenous youth , enabling new ways of preserving and revitalizing culture, language and identity. However, there are still no specific mechanisms in place to support technology initiatives with cultural identity. Therefore, it is essential that international mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund, include dedicated lines of support for AI and Indigenous Peoples. One of such areas where AI may offer significant positive potential is in the revitalization of Indigenous languages , many of which are at risk of disappearing. AI can help to document Indigenous languages, create content that can help revive their use...

   T he virtual commemoration  of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples will be held on August 8th;  The event will focus on the theme " Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures ".  Register to join us on Zoom  or follow the panel discussions.